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Dear Listmates,

  I am very delinquent about a follow-up to my post of August 16th on my
weight gain problem. It took a while to see all the docs and get all the
tests done. My original post:

  Back in May I went to the doc because I had been experiencing some
gastro-intestinal problems for several months (bloating, weight gain). The
blood work indicated that I am doing well eliminating the gluten, but the
stool specimen indicated a malabsorption problem. My weight, though, has
gone up continually this year, so that I can't comfortably wear clothing
I've worn for years. I'm up about 12 pounds, despite regular, vigorous
exercise. How can that be if I have malabsorption problem? My PCP doesn't
think it's my thyroid, but I've done some research on hypothyroidism, and
that sounds like a plausible explanation to me. It's not easy to diagnose.
The doc doesn't seem willing to do the correct test (a free T-4).

  Another issue has been constipation for 6 weeks and a missed period.
I've been on a pancreatic enzyme for 2 1/2 months now that has constipation
as a side effect, so I recently stopped it. I go back to the doc on
Wednesday, the 18th to see if the enzyme is even helping. I do realize that
both constipation and the amenorrhea could be caused by either malabsorption
or hypothroidism.

  Thanks to all of you who responded, about 20. Many of you have experienced
the same kinds of things. It was suggested that all the rice and corn could
be a problem, causing excess weight. Someone suggested that I have my liver
checked, although the doc didn't think that necessary. Several thought my
conjecture on thyroid problems was accurate. A lot of you have to take some
kind of laxative for regularity. Most just wanted to know what I found out,
because they, too, are puzzled.

  Since my post I have been to the doc several times, had tons of blood work
done, did a 72 hour fecal fat test and a sugar test for intestinal
pathogens. My weight has not changed much since August; my clothes are still
too snug. I've started more fat-burning exercise, rather than focusing on
weight lifting. Thyroid blood work (I finally got my GI doc to do the free
t-4 and a TSH) was negative. The fat test still showed too much fat in my
stool, but the enzymes seem to be reducing that (unfortunately, I have to
stay on them, even though I think that is the cause of the constipation). I
take either Milk of Magnesia or psyllium hulls "to get moving". The sugar
test revealed that I have too much "bad" yeast too high in my small
intestine, so I did a cleanse and am starting over with Lactobacillus GG to
recolonize. I haven't missed my period any more. I have no idea what that
was about. My next visit to the ob/gyn is next month. I've also started
taking a tsp. of L-glutamine.

  So, I still don't really have any answers. I just did the cleanse on
Monday. Maybe things will get better after the Lactobacillus starts building
up again. In the meantime, I'll just try to get by with eating less
(although that slows down the metabolic rate) and exercising aerobically
more often. Oh, well! Thanks to all of you for your input and concern.

Blessings,
Lisa